Concentration of titanium ores.



" 5 ED STATES PATENT @EEKCE.

MAURICE ROGER BAIFIN, OF DUNKIRK, FRANCE, ASSIGNOB TO SOCIETE P. RAFIIN&

FILS, OI DUNKIRK, FRANCE, A CORPORATION DIE-FRANCE.

CONCENTRATION OF TITANIUM ORES.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE Room RAFFIN, a citizen of the Republic ofFrance, and a resident of 16 Rue Carnot, Dunkirk, France, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Concentration of Titanium Ores,of which the followmg 1s a spec1- fication.

This invention relates to a process of treating ilmenites or titaniciron ores for the purpose of concentrating them to a hlgh proportion oftitanic oxid (T10 It is known -that these ores are titanates of iron,comcrucibles which are slowly heated to a temperature close to 1000 C.,that is to say to a comparativel low. temperature. Above 1100 C. thereta es place the phenomenon of re-oxidation of iron, and the resultbecomes negative. When a mixture of ilmenite and carbon reachesreduction tem erature, carbonic oxid is abundantly reed, causes aviolent ebullit-ion and carries the arbon out of the crucible, so thatthe result becomes negative. But the addition of an agglutinant, such asoil or tar, has the effect oi impeding the ebullition, formlng with theilmenite and carbon a porous mass which remains friable to such extentthat it may be reduced to powder form by pressure of the fingers. Oil ortar is chosen by preference because only a very small quantity is neededto permeate and ag lutinate the mixture of ore and carbon, and becausein addition to its physical action just-explained, these substancesresent the further advantage of ierformmg a chemical role by leaving acaronaceous residue (carbone de pyrogenation) which incases the grainsof ilmenite and contributes to the reduction of the iron oxid. Aftercooling, the contents of the receptacles are thrown into vats containingvery diluted sulfuric acid. The product of the reaction is atitaniferous residue conipeoiflcation of Letters iatent.

'- Application filed July 6, 1917. Serial No. 178,969.

Patented Feb. 1.2, 1918.

taining very little iron. It is washed, then dried or calcined. Thesulfate of ironobtamed as a bf -product is collected by crystallization.stead of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid could also be used.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. A process for the treatment of ilmenites or titanic iron ores forconcentrating to a high content of titanic oxid (TiO said processconsisting in mixingilmenite with pulverized carbon, adding anagglutinant to this mixture, heatlng the same, treating with a diluteacid capable of reacting on the iron, Washing and then drying orcalcining the titaniferous residue thus obtained.

2. A process for the treatment of ilmenites or titanic iron ores forconcentrating to a high content of titanic oxid (TiO said processconsisting in mixing ilmenite with pulverized carbon, adding anagglutinant to this mixture, heatin the same to a temperature between900 to 1100 C., treating with a dilute acid capable of reacting on theiron, washing and then drying or calcining the titaniferous residue thusobtained.

3. A process for the treatment of ilmenites or titanic iron ores forconcentrating to a high content of titanic oxid (TiO said processconsisting in depriving ilmenite of silica and other impurities bymagnetic separation, mixin the purified ilmenite with pulverized car on,adding an agglutinant to this mixture, heating the same, treating with adilute acid capable of reacting on the iron, Washing and then drying orcalcining the titaniferous residue thus obtained.

4. A process for the treatment of ilmenites or titanic iron ores forconcentrating to a high content of titanic oxid (TiO said processconsisting in mixing ilmenite with pulverized charcoal, adding to thismixture a carbonaceous agglutinant, heating in a crucible to atemperature between 900 C. and 1100 C., subjecting the reaction productto the action of dilute sulfuric acid, washing and then drying orcalcining the titaniferous. residue thus obtained.

5. A process for the treatment of ilmenites or titanic iron ores forconcentrating to a high content of titanic oxid (TiO said processconsisting in mixing ilmenite with pulverized charcoal, adding tar tothis mixture, heating in a crucible to a temperature reaction product tothe action of dilute sulfuric acid, washing and; then drying orcelcining the'titaniferous residue thus obtained.-

' 6. In a process for concentrating titanic 1ron\ores to a high contentof tltanlc oxid (TiOQLwherem the ore is mixed with carbon I inpulverulent form and brought to reaction temperature, the novel step ofcombining an agglutinant with the'mixture to restrein the ebullienceoccurring during the reaction.v

"7. In a, process for concentrating titanic iron ores to a high contentof titanic oxioi (-TiO wherein the ore is mixed with carbon rgesnsee'the reaction and to further the reduction of the iron oxid.

In, testimony whereof I have signed my 0 4 name to this specification,in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

'URIGE ROGER RAFFIN. Witnesses: CH. Domr,

M. Dnrn'vmmom'.

